vain is the snare laid in the air to catch the bird the danger is when shee comes down to the ground The way of life is above to the wise to escape the snares of death below The Christian must bee an Amphibion not live wholly in one element but his body on earth his soul in heaven like the Eagle whose food is below neast on high shee comes down for necessity to bait and water and upon the wing again So should the Christian in using the world as not using it have to do with it for necessity then up again to 1 Cor. 7. 31. God again I am continually with thee Psal 73. 23. as the Dogs at Nyle or Gideons Souldiers at the Rivers side lap or sip and away Judg. 7. 7. or as Elias eat and drink a little then high us to Horeb the mount of God Hee is a poor Christian who like the Reubenites 1 King 19. 8. hath all his Inheritance and business on this side Jordan but hee happy who like the Manassites hath one half on this side the other half on the other side Jordan CHAP. IX Of the three Crowning Graces whereof the Hypocrite is ever found defective FOurthly The hypocrite is ever found wanting in the Crowning and perfective Graces whereof I shall name three Integrity Integrality and Perseverance The Scripture speaks of a threefold Perfection of Christians answerable to which are these three Graces 1 There is a perfection of hearts And Asahs heart was perfect This is the 2 Chron. 15. 17. perfection of Integrity 2 Perfection of parts as the body when it hath all the members Lev. 20. 21. So when wee are perfect and intire wanting nothing Jam. 1. 4. So that wee come behinde in no gift c. 1 Cor. 1. 7. This is the perfection of Integrality 3 When wee hold out to the end this is the perfection of Perseverance Both Hebrews and Greeks have one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies both the end and perfection There is no perfection at all if it endure not to the end The Apostle 1 Thess 5. 23. hath a most significant word The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body may be kept blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies properly to sanctifie you totally and finally There is Integrity Integrality and Perseverance all three together 1 Integrity is the first Crowning and Gen. 6. 9. Job 1. 1. perfective grace it is often called our Perfection It is the shining grace and the varnish that sets off all other graces with a lustre It is that which constitutes a Christian and is of his very essence No sincerity no Christian It is not onely a grace but the Grace of all graces whence they all are denominated and grace is no more grace if sincerity bee wanting Faith is not faith if it bee not unfained faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor is love love if not without dissimulation 1 Tim. 1 5. 2 Tim. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. 9. nor is holiness and righteousness any thing if it want Truth Eph. 4. 24. This makes a Christian currant though hee want some graines as Asa his heart was perfect 2 Chron. 15. 17. without this hee cannot pass An hypocrite wants many things but sincerity most hoc unum deest therefore hee miscarries The worm never breeds but in the sappy unsound wood The Apostle calls sincerity Incorruption Eph. 6. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Compare those two Texts Heb. 2. 4. and Heb. 10. 38. And you may collect this that hee whose heart is not upright in him is first lifted up then drawn back then God draws back too and hath no pleasure in him then God leaves him owes him a shame layes a stumbling Ezek. 3. 20. block in his way hee falls foulely and desperately at last as Judas Ananias Saphira Alexander the Coppersmith who had they been sincere they had never drawn back unto perdition It is a rule in Nature all corruption comes from composition therefore all sublunary bodies decay but what is uncompounded is incorruptible the heavens are such bodies a quintessence therefore decay not all corruption in a Christian comes from composition where the heart is not single but any mixture of guile such hold not out pray for sincerity rather than singularity for integrity of heart rather than eminency of parts 2 Integrity is ever accompanied with Integrality which is the best discovery of sincerity This is our next perfection The Christian must bee a compleat man his Armor is a compleat Armour and his obedience must bee compleat to stand Eph. 6. 13. Col. 4. 12. 1 Cor. 1. 7. compleat in the whole will of God Hee must come behinde in no gift grace or duty that hee may wait for the appearance of Christ Jesus Hee must bee perfect and intire wanting nothing His whole soul and body and spirit must bee sanctified Jam. 1. 4. 1 Thess 4. 12. wholly Universality is one of the best notes of a Christian though one of the worst of the Church Dolus latet in particularibus sinceritas patet in universalibus I may say here deceit lyes in particulars sincerity in universals Where you see one walk in all the Ordinances of God call him sincere as Zachary and Elizabeth where Luke 1. 6. you see halting in one as the young man hold him suspected yea where you see one do many things as Herod if not all one is none and many is none All or nothing See then that no grace want her mate as it is said Thou hast zeal it may bee but is thy zeal coupled with Es 34. 16. Rom. 10. 2. 2 Pet. 1. 5. knowledge knowledge thou hast but is it accompanied with vertue thy vertue with faith thy faith with love thy love with obedience obedience with conscience conscience with sincerity sincerity with integrality Then there is no danger but all is safe But wee may write of every hypocrite what wee do of some books that had been excellent if some peeces had not been lost desiderantur non-nulla some thing is wanting the book is imperfect and no body can tell what to make of it It is not Agrippas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his almost will serve or Herods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many things Mar. 6. 20. But Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4. 15. Grow up to him in all things and Christs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 15. 14. Yee are my Disciples if yee do whatsoever I command you yea Christ hath a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both Matth. 28. 20. Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I command you c. 3 Perseverance is the last crowning grace and is heir apparent to the Crown of glory These three graces last named are like King Davids three several 1 Sam. 16.
still as a Generation of Vipers and said who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come Were hee now alive hee would wonder as much to see so many Pharisees and Sadduces fly as fast from his Baptisme and would cry after them O Generation of Vipers who hath warned you in that way to fly from wrath to come Let there bee some better fruits of repentance for as neither Circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing so nor Baptisme nor Anti-baptisme not this or that Profession will stand before the Fan and the fire but sincerity and the New Creature it is not being of the Stock of Abraham will free from the stroke of the Axe but the good fruit when there shall bee a general conflagration it is onely the hanging out of this red line of sincerity will save us as Rahab once and gain us the benefit of the Articles of Peace and Covenant of Grace Those are sad and smart sayings of the Gospel they that are last shall bee first Ma. 20 16. and the first last Many are called few chosen and though the number of the children of Israel bee as the Sand of the Sea yet a Remnant only shall bee saved Rom. 9 27. It concernes thee therefore Reader to bee serious and to seek to produce a better Pedigree and Title than Profession Baptisme Possession Succession Church-fellowship yea or visible Saintship How far may the hypocrite go Who can count the number of this Beast or rightly discern this plague of Leprosie It may have brightness and whiteness and no black or blew spots at all appearing yet bee the infection Lev. 13. 2 3. I have for thy sake endeavoured the best I could to shew how far the hypocrite may go Hee may advance sixty steps as I have shewed and go up three long ladders towards heaven yet fall as Lucifer I therefore shoot a warning Arrow beyond thee as Jonathan did to David to hasten 1 Sam. 20. 38. thee to get further I have also to prevent thy danger endeavoured to make discovery wherein it is the miscarrying Professor is found defective and that I shew partly whence it is as to his state Chap. 4. as to his duties Chap. 5. and as to his graces Chap. 6. 7 8 9. I have also set thee two glasses to look into the former mentioned Chap. 16. I wish it as Daniel did the Dream to thine Dan. 4. 19. Enemies not to thee unless to undress by The other Glasse Chap. 17. I dare cornmend to thee upon my life that is for thee to dress by and I put it into thy hand upon my word I say not what is that worth in this case but upon the Word of God And now that it would please God to make this latter Glasse to every Reader and Beholder like Jacobs rods laid in the Gen. 30. 38. Gutters before the Flocks that they conceived thereupon and brought forth likecoloured young so that each beholder of himself in this Glass of sincerity may bee changed into the same Image by the Spirit of God Oh Sincerity Sincerity Thou fairest among women amongst all the grave where is the place of thy abode What Job said of Divine Wisdome I may say of this Divine Grace But where shall integrity Iob 28. 12 13 14. bee found And where is the place of Sincerity Man knoweth not the price thereof neither is it to bee found in the Land of the living The Sea saith it is not in mee and the depth it is not with mee it cannot bee gotten for gold neither shall silver bee weighed for the price thereof c. Death and destruction say they have heard the fame thereof as being long since departed Ver. 22. What the Platonists say of Verity I may say of Sincerity much more If God say they were minded to assume to himself a composition of body and soul Surely say they Light should bee his Body and Truth the Soul I may say if Religion or Christianity were to bee seen light should bee the cloathing and sincerity the soul It is so much the life and soul of Religion that take this away from any grace it withers yea becomes null and void so that without sincerity knowledge is not to bee acknowledged Repentance is to bee repented of hope it self were out of hope and faith could not trust God nor God love our charity all works were but dead works and splendid sins What therefore Jansenius that famous Bishop of Ipres said when asked which of all the Attributes of God hee did most admire Hee answered his Truth and would often in admiration thereof cry out O Veritas Veritas O Truth Truth For alas What comfort could the poor soul have not only in the knowledge wisdome power but in the mercy love promise and Covenant of God If all were not founded in his truth So I am sure of all the Attributes given to the Christian sinterity is the highest Noahs Jobs Asaes Attribute for what were all knowledge profession and holiness it self without this Therefore as a learned Doctor lately said in a like case I may say in admiration of sincerity vix me contineo quin Exclamem Salve Regina professionum In the whole D. Arrow smith visible world saith hee man is the most excellent piece in man the soul in the soul understanding in the understanding knowledge in knowledge Religion or the knowledge of God in Religion Christianity I may carry it one step further and adde in Christianity sincerity Wee had once our Chronicles tell us a disease very infective and destructive to the English called Morbus or sudor Anglicus the Sweating Sickness it raged more among those of this Nation than any where else there were two Dukes died of it there were also two Lord Mayors of London and six Aldermen died of it in eight daies space this is a worse disease with which the English are now tainted this may bee called Morbus Anglicus too properly Oh that as God was pleased to give a stop to that that wee now have no knowledge of such a disease so it may please him to heal the hurt of the daughter of our people that there may neither bee a Canaanite in the Land nor hypocrite in the Church that the remnant of our Israel may not do iniquity nor speak lies nor that a deceitful tongue Zeph. 3. 13. shall bee found in their mouths much less a deceitful heart Oh that it may never bee said of England or London what Epiphanius said once of Constantinople going thence Relicturus sum tria magna a tergo ingentem urbem ingens Palatium ingentem hypocrisim So here Relicturus sum ingentem Gentem ingentem urbem ingentem hypocrisim I am leaving a great and warlike people a great and populous City and a great deal of hypocrisie both in City and Nation What therefore Alexander said once to a Cowardly Lubber call'd by his name either change thy Name I
power that is they should not know what death was nor feel the stroak of it so it is said Christ tasted of death Heb. 2. 9. Will any say hee had but a smack of it and a little sense of it hee found by woful experience how dreadful it was in all his attendances and circumstances his soul was heavy to death upon the thought Such a kinde of penetrating and heart-amazing experimental knowledge and application may an hypocrite have of those future things Death Heaven Hell Judgement and Eternity Here wee see at present a short Ladder of five steps wee shall shew longer afterwards of twenty rounds a peece whereon hypocrites are climbing up towards heaven but not as Jacobs Ladder whose Gen. 28. 12. top reached to heaven foot stood on earth the top of this is towards heaven the foot in hell there Angels ascended and descended here ascendunt Angeli decidunt Diaboli they ascend as Angels fall as Lucifer ascend as Lights fall down as Lightning you would think at their first appearance you saw the Witches apparition Gods ascending out of the earth but 1 Sam. 28. 13. they prove cursed ghosts and depart with horror they that fall from this fifth Loft are not like Eutichus taken up for dead and after recovered but are like them Act. 20 9. stricken in the fifth rib never recover if they fall away it is impossible to renew and fetch them again unto repentance the Apostle saith vers 6. CHAP. III. Many Reasons of the point SEcondly having cleared this Truth by many sad Instances wee shall come to shew the Reasons of it Reason 1. You may often finde as bad people at Capernaum as in any part of the world worse than at Sodome our Saviour tells us here The Sun that whitens the Cloath tans the Blackmore the Gospel to some the savour of life is to others the savour of death to death As by the Law so by the Gospel in this sense is the knowledge of sin it worketh wrath Law and Gospel enter to some place among Rom. 3 20. Rom. 4. 15. Rom. 5. 20. some persons that the offence might abound There was a Sodome found in Israel in 2 King 23. 7. 2 King 17. 9. Josiahs dayes The children of Israel did secretly the things that were evill There is many an Achan goes out with the Hoasts of Israel many a Satan presents himself before the Lord among the Sons of God Many a cursed Doeg detained before the Lord many a Judas with his hand in the same dish with Christ such as partake of the Lords Table and of the table of Devils Among my people are found wicked men the Lord complains Yea they Over-pass the deeds of the wicked none so bad as they Among great pretenders to extraordinary piety such as devoure widows houses and live in monstrous sins and prodigious lusts They are nigh God in their mouths far off in their reines Jer. 12. 2. They sit before mee as my people but their hearts goeth after their covetousness As once there was not found so great faith no not in Israel as in a heathen Captain so oft Matth. 8. not such unfaithfulness and horrid impieties in a heathen Nation as in Israel 1 Cor. 5. 1. sins not so much as named among the Gentiles were once found to their shame in a Christian Church Reas 2. All at Capernaum are not called The outward and inward Call go not alwayes together mans teaching and Gods Grace and the means of Grace The word of Grace and the work of Grace Ordinance and Obedience are oft great strangers They who are well acquainted with the grace of truth are utter strangers to the truth of Grace All are not called There is no universal Redemption for there is no universal Election no universal Vocation There was many a widow in Israel that Elias never was sent to but to one in Sarepta Many Lepers in Israel not cured by Elisha All among whom the Gospel is sent are not saved by it There are some that hear and do not understand as the high-way ground some that understand that do not beleeve like that blasphemous Pope Leo the Tenth that called the Gospel a profitable fiction many that beleeve that do not obey Now none are called effectually called according to the purpose but such as obey There may bee many in Capernaum who see more mighty works hear more powerfull preaching receive more Sacraments have Sabbaths better spent and joyn in many Fasts who know â—ear profess more than others yet what singular thing do they they repent not beleeve not obey not they are in heaven as to profession but in hell as to conversation as proud worldly prophane sensual brutish as any other therefore after this lifting up to heaven in a vain presumption follows a sad throwing down to hell in desperation 3 All that are called are not chosen as our Saviour often said Many are called few chosen Salvation and Election are of equall latipatency and extent salvation Rom. 8. 30. and effectual calling but not salvation and external calling All that are called are not called and chosen and faithful as Gods people are Rev. 17. 14. All that are among the Israelites are not of Israel as the mixt multitude called outwardly or moved inwardly yet not with right aims and principles all that are of Israel are not the Israel of God There is a Jew outwardly and a Jew inwardly And there is a Jew without who is a Samaritan within sworn enemies to the Church and people of God as those perfidious ones who were in confederacy Neh. 6. 18. with Tobiah against Nehemiah There are such who profess to know God more than others that in their lives deny him more than others Tit. 1. 16. such who have more of the form than many â—ho have less of the power of godliness than any other 2 Tim. 3. 3. Like Judas an Angel in his speech a Devil in his heart his expressions were heavenly his affections hellish 4 The case of such is worse than other mens because the greater mercies offered and means afforded if sleighted the greater Jo. 15. 22 24. is the sin and danger If I had not come amongst them they had had no sin The more light the more love the more strivings the more convictions the more offence what makes the sin against the Holy Ghost the unpardonable sin but because it is committed after so much light and love and conviction and experience committed against Law and Gospel and promises and is a pure despite of the Spirit of grace and a trampling under foot the blood and Covenant of Christ Sodome had no sin at all comparatively none To him that knoweth to do well and doth it not to him it is sin Sodomes brimstone burnt not so extreamly and is not so bad as Gospel dust What made the Angels fall irreparable Adams offence inexcusable Elies sons sin inexpiable The Talent-receivers neglect
Lords prayer 1 Hee separates the Conclusion or Doxology from the Preface hee saith Our Father with all his heart and is willing to take acquaintance of God so far as to have a Father in heaven But when hee should come to the Doxological conclusion hee hath no Praise Kingdome power Glory Majesty Dominion to ascribe to God hee is better in the beginning of his duties worse in the end better at prayer than at praises Now this is the proper work of Saints yea of heavenly Saints and Angels to bee full of praises and to close their duties with highest admiration of God and hearts brim full of his excellencies apprehended The sincere worshipper is best at last hee begins full of self ends full of God His heart the longer hee hath been at duty is like the water that hath been over the fire grows hotter and hotter at length it boyls and runs over the poor narrow vessel cannot hold it while the fire burns so the godly say their heart hath burnt within them and even boyled over Psal 45. 1. Ebullivit cor c. their hearts have been in heaven when in praises and admirations of God 2 Hee separates the Petitions an hypocrite may say the three last Petitions no hypocrite doth say the three first Petitions with his spirit and understanding 1 An hypocrite may with all his heart say Give mee this day my daily bread Give mee Lord health peace plenty give thy blessing to mee my children my labours state stock bless my going out coming in adventures c. Here hee lefts up the voyce and weeps Hast thou no blessing for mee Bless mee even mee Oh my Father 2 Hee may pray with all his heart Forgive mee my trespasses forgive both guilt and punishment restore mee to thy favour as though I had never offended though hee doth but faintly promise to forgive others that trespass against him 3 He may pray with all his heart Deliver mee from evil i. e. from the evil one from Satan from his hands malice mischief Good Lord deliver mee but from tentations of Satan motions to sin occasions of sin departure from God unbeleef hardness of heart hee prayes not against them hee saith but faintly Lead us not into temptation 2 But for the three first Petitions hee cannot pray them at all 1 To pray that Gods Name may bee hallowed and Gods glory may bee exalted in every thing and take the precedence of his own name honour interest peace comfort so that God may bee magnified by his life or death what cares hee this is onely the frame of the truly gracious soul Father save mee from this hour but why should I pray to bee saved from this hour Father glorifie thy Joh. 12. 27 28 Name Let mee rather want my daily bread than thy Name want his glory Let come on mee what will or can so that thy Name may get glory let mee decrease so it may increase here in sincerity 2 No hypocrite doth pray Thy Kingdome come Come Lord Jesus come quickly but rather stay a while noli modo come not yet yet a little sleep and a little more slumber no hypocrite doth pray that the Kingdome of God should come into him in his life it is enough for him to come into the Kingdome of God at his death The hypocrite comes to God as a poor man to his neighbour when hee knows not what in the earth to do Sir I am come of a great errand I pray lend mee such a summe of mony so saith hee Lord lend mee thy helping hand and relieve mee in such a case and hee doth to God as Saul to his Unkle tells of his business his way and his Asses not a word hee speaks of the Kingdome 1 Sam. 10. 16. the childe of God comes and sayes Lord I have a great errand to thee it is about a Kingdome I come and not a Kingdome for my self but thee I have a rebellious untoward heart of my own Lord subdue it Blessed bee the Kingdome Lake 19. 38. that comes in the Name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest Let thy Kingdome come let it come to day before to morrow Bee like the Roe and like the Hart upon the Mountains of Spices Hee came Cant. 8. 14. to God of the same great errand Israel came to David with Behold thou art 2 Sam. 5. 1 2 3 our bone and our flesh wee want a good King wee come to offer thee a Kingdome to set up thy Kingdome and to anoint and chuse thee to bee King over us say us not nay make a League and Covenant with us 3 No hypocrite can pray Thy will bee done c. Onely the sincere soul saith that Petition Let thy will bee done not mine what thou commandest let it bee obeyed what thou imposest let it bee born give strength patience peace support rather than deliverance out of affliction It is written of mee that I should do thy will Agreed I would it might bee saith hee to God as Laban to Jacob according Gen. 30. 34. to thy word Lord with all my heart I had rather serve God than reign over men rather have the grace of obedience than the gift of working miracles Thy minde to mee a Kingdome is Da quod Jubes Jube quod vis Command first a Mallem obedire quam si possem miracula operari Luther willing minde then command whatsoever thou wilt I would Lord thy will should bee done in every thing yea I would have it done as well on earth as it is in heaven no grumbling repining questioning gain-saying no halving no halting or imperfect obedience to God no faint cold dead performing of any holy service but let thy will in every part of it bee observed punctually readily cheerfully universally let thy commands bee obeyed continually totally inwardly holily conscientiously and let thy worship bee performed purely spiritually livelily heavenlily Angelically Divinely perfectly with all the heart and minde and soul and strength and joy and delight Thus much for Prayer 2 For hearing I will not say but an hypocrite may hear much and often but hee doth not take heed how hee hears Hee is one of Ezekiels hearers or comers who Ez. 33. 31 32. say Come let us hear what is the word that cometh from the Lord they come and sit and hear as my people but they will not do my words for with their mouths they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness But he is none of Isaiahs hearers or comers who say Come let us go to the house of the Lord and hee will Isa 2. 3 4. teach us of his wayes and wee will walk in his pathes An hypocrite may bee a great Sermon-hearer cannot bee called a Sermon-follower hee hath the ear tipt or the tongue tipt but hath not as the Priests in the day of their Consecration and the Leper in the day of his Purification had their ear and the
Ezek. 13. 22. who would call for fire from heaven on Luke 9. 54. those whom wee are to save with fear rather pulling them out of the fire of hell Jude v. 23. But wee enter upon this unpleasant task with the like affection to that which was Fuller Proph. state wont to bee shewed at the Degradation of a Knight for high misdemeanour the King and twelve Knights more did put on mourning as an emblem of sorrow for his miscarriage whom they were now to deprive of all his former dignities and honour and to leave an everlasting blot of infamy upon I remember well when the Prophet Ezekiel was commanded to denounce the fatal downfal of Tyrus a heathen City hee was commanded also to take up a sad Lamentation for Tyrus and shall I not much more take up a lamentation for Christians whose rise and fall are both far greater than hers Tyrus her state for the glory of it is described thus by the Prophet Thou hast said I am of perfect beauty Ezek. 27. 3. yea the Lord said of her too Ezek. 28. Thou sealest up the Sum full of wisdome and perfect in Ezek 28. 12 13 14. beauty thou hast been in Eden the Garden of God every precious stone was thy covering the Sardius Topas Diamond Beril Onyx Jasper Saphir Emerauld Carbuncle and Gold c. almost all the precious Ex 28. 17 18 19. Rev. 21 19 20 stones that were in the High Priests breast-plate or in the wall of the New Jerusalem then hee goes on Thou art the anointed Cherub thou wast upon the holy Mountain of God c. High expressions and high priviledges And Chap. 27. shee is described to bee the most famous Mart in the world where there was a confluence of all the riches and best commodities that every Nation did afford yet at length did this Anointed Cherub that was perfect in beauty perish with all her precious stones and all is summed together Thy Riches thy Fayres thy Merchandise thy Mariners thy Pilots thy Calkers the occupiers of thy Merchandise Ez 27. 27. c. shall all fall with thee into the midst of the Seas in the day of thy ruine So mee thinks when all this may bee said in a spiritual sense of a Christian an unsound Professor glorious in his own and others eyes too as of perfect beauty as sealing up the summe omnibus numeris perfectus that hee is adorned with all the precious stones almost that are to bee found in the breast of the highest earthly Saint and are the adorning of the Saint Triumphant in the New Jerusalem Psal 15. 1. that hee hath been in the holy Mountain of God is an anointed Cherub being anointed with the oyle of heavenly gifts above his fellows and made partaker of the Holy Ghost as the Apostle speaks besides that hee should have a contribution of all the spiritual wealth and treasure of the world to inrich him everlastingly viz. the benefit of all the Writings Sermons Observations Admonitions Threats Promises Experiences of all the men of God from the beginning of the world to this present day Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Ministers all the benefit that Scriptures Sermons Sabbaths Sacraments Ordinances Prayers Tears Intreaties Threats Promises Hopes Fears can do all that Heaven and Earth and Hell can say yea the blood of Christ and the convictions and other excitations and actings of the Spirit of grace but rejected and resisted to boot that at length it should bee said That thou thy riches precious stones Anointings thy Scriptures Sermons Ordinances Hopes Fears Experiences Parts Duties Convictions Endowments must all periâ—h together and thou shalt fâ—ll with them not into the midst of the Sea but into the midst of Hell in the day of thy ruine The beholders cryed out Alas Alas what City was like Tyrus for glory before And what City is like Tyrus like the destroyed Ezek. 27. 32. in the midst of the Sea So may wee say Alas how is the mighty fallen the shield of the mighty as if hee had never been anointed with oyle as that 2 Sam. 1. sad singer of Israel in his Elegy upon Sauls Funerals If therefore any misdeeming Israelite should come to expostulate with mee about my design in setting down so close about the hypocrite in the words of that wise woman of Abel to Joab when hee had so close begirt the Town where Sheba had taken Sanctuary and was 2 Sam. 20. 19 20. ready to storm it Thou seekest to destroy a City and a mother in Israel why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the Lord I would reply in no other but his words Far bee it far bee it from mee that I should swallow up or destroy Deliver mee Sheba deliver mee the hypocrite I seek for and I have done onely with this difference hee would have Sheba's head and I would have the hypocrites heart hee would have his blood I his spirit hee his death I his life hee would have him wholly destroyed I would have the flesh destroyed that the soul may bee saved in the day of the Lord according to that power the Lord hath given to his Church and the instructions left with his Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to edification 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 12. not unto destruction Yet let mee here premise this withall That a much shorter Ladder of but two steps laid down 2 Cor. 5. 17. to bee in Christ this step cometh from heaven and to bee a new creature this reacheth to heaven would secure us more than those three long Ladders of sixty rounds At least as Noah was safer in his Ark of three stories high than Nimrod and his crew were in their Tower of Babel raised to the height of five thousand one hundred forty six paces as is reported so I Heylin Cosm 13. am bold to say that at most a short Ladder of three steps 1 Christ the foundation 2 Faith the middle step joyning us to the foundation Christ and leading us to the third step the new creature which is our perfection will bring thee certainly and safely to salvation whereas thou mightest mount up to the top of the other three Ladders and bee turned off unto thy destruction of these three it is said each of them that they are all in all all nothing without them 1 Christ Jesus is said to bee all in all Col. 3. 11. hee is all in all to faith and the new creature Circumcision and uncircumcision c. all priviledges of Law and Gospel nothing without Christ 2 In Christ Circumcision and uncircumcision nothing but faith all in all to the new creature Gal. 5. 6. 3 In Jesus Christ again neither Circumcision nor uncircumcision is any thing to faith but the new creature is all in all for evidence Gal. 6. 15. How happy are they where all these three meet This threefold cord holds fast the Anchor of salvation CHAP. XIII Contains the first Ladder
sleighted But the false Christs they were the men they had the spirit they shewed the signes and wonders and took upon them to foretell things to come These all magnifie but the few Elect Matth. 24. 24. The true Prophets were hissed at and disdained as a company of sowre and silly men Micaiah could say nothing but the word of the Lord The word the word but Zedekiah his Antagonist 1 King 22. 19 v. 11. hee gets him horns of Iron and layes about him like a Prophet indeed with more confidence and reputation too Hananiah the false Prophet in a Prophetical strain takes off Jeremies yoak and breaks it and prophesies upon it very lustily and plausibly and hee carries away the bell from poor Jeremy And Jer. 28. 10 11. when the true Apostles were obscured as despicable and inconsiderable persons counted no more of than the dust under our feet as the filth and off-scouring of all things The false Apostles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4. 13. the blazing stars Angels of light Men that had a better spirit more light a clearer Gospel-way and higher Revelations They were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostles The grand and extraordinarily eminent Apostles 2 Cor. 11. 5. So that at any time the hypocrite may vye with the sincere man and out-go him and take up the Apostles challenge and say Are they Israelites So am I Are they Christians So am I Saints are they So am I Are they Stars I am a Planet bigger than any fixed star a blazing star that shews bigger and causeth more wonderment than stars or planets Are they Apostles I am an Angel of light yea I speak foolishly in this confidence of boasting I am more In labours more abundant in making Proselites more diligent and successful in duties more frequent in gifts more excellent in expressions more Seraphical in parts above measure and though in life more rude and dissolute yet in knowledge more admired my way more extolled my principles more imbraced my speakings more frequented my out-side more adorned my heart more elevated and on all hands more esteemed Well bee it so Wee must bee content to bee fools for Christ that these may bee wise as the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 10. saith There are many strange and incredible things that some are said to have done beyond the vulgar Professors reach and the ordinary beleevers attainments Many stories of high strains wee read and as many and strange our Affrick quae quotidie aliquid monstri profert breeds and brings forth to the amusing and astonishing of many unsettled ones not onely do the Patists tell us of their St. Francis that hee was often in such extasies a whole day and night together that hee could not speak one word therefore gave charge to his Scholar Len that hee should not so much as call him off to prayers And of their Shee-Saint Clare they say that shee was in a trance and so continued thirty dayes together not so much as minding any earthly thing nor taking a bit of meat But St. Austin tells us what hee hath seen and known of his own knowledge I my self saith hee have seen a man that could bee all over in a sweat whensoever hee pleased And some others hee saith had tears at command and could weep abundantly at pleasure And hee Ipse sum expectus sudare hominem solere quum vellet c See l. 14. Civ Dei c. 24. tells of one Restitutus that when hee pleased could make dolefull lamentations with his voyce so that hee lay for senseless and for dead that pinch him prick him or burn him with fire hee felt nothing at present yea hee stopped his own breath so artificially that none could perceive that he took any breath yet could hee perfectly remember what was spoken by any in those fits 19 Here is a high step indeed hee is almost at the top hee may have the whole form of godliness to the full 2 Tim. 3. 3. There are three forms an hypocrite may have 1 The form of Knowledge Rom. 2. 20. 2 The form of sound words and doctrine 2 Tim. 1. 13. 3 The whole form of fair living and of an unreproved conversation 2 Tim. 3. 3. But there are three things hee wants Three forms 1 Christ to bee formed in him Gal. 4. 19. 2 His heart to bee moulded into the right form of doctrine Rom. 6. 17. 3 To bee transformed in the renewing of his minde that so hee might express Rom. 12. 2. the power of godliness as well as the form These three forms dant esse the other three dant apparere to the Christian they shew him like a Christian these make him bee one Oh it is hard to tell and sad to think how far an hypocrite may go in this road and perish Hee may bee a knowing man and perish a Professor and perish a Virgin and perish a child of the Kingdome and perish bee lifted up to heaven and perish bee called and perish beleeve and perish repent and perish love and perish seek heaven and perish run and perish Matth. 22. 14. Act. 8. Mat. 28. Rev 2. 4. Luke 13. 14. 1 Cor 9. 24. pray and perish weep and perish hope well and perish live well and perish have a Talent and perish keep his talent and perish bee a signet on Gods right hand and perish have the whole form of godliness and perish 20 Lastly and here you see him at the top of the Ladder to bee presently turned off and at the point of his execution Hee may after all this dye in peace The last Ladder brought one hypocrite to his end and that was more sad to dye penitently this brings another to his end who dyes as Agag more chearfully hee dyes in peace hee makes his Will and bequeaths his soul to God in full assurance of eternal life c. and then it must needs stand but both are alike dangerous Let Saul dye by the hand of a Philistine his enemy or by the hand of an Amalakite his friend all is one his life is lost Let the hypocrite dye more terribly and repenting more securely and beleeving all is one his life is lost without all recovery Now an hypocrite may go up to the top of this Pisgah and take a view of the land of promise before his death yet never come nearer it and see it no more And then may that doleful lamentation bee taken up for him that is threatned to Babylon The fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed Rev. 18. 14. from thee and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee and that which follows is most sad of all and will break thy very heart for ever and thou shalt finde them at all no more The voyce of Pipers and Harpers shall bee heard no more at all in thee the voyce of the Bridegroom and bride shall bee heard no more at all in thee nor so much as